Priyanka Chopra is a Woman We Love For so many reasons.

BY ELIZABETH GRIFFIN (Esquire)

MAR 21, 2016

 

When I arrive at her Montreal home, Priyanka Chopra is wrapping a photo shoot. She’s joking with the crew, filling the room with her broad smile and throaty laugh. She makes her goodbyes, hugging nearly everyone, then vanishes to her bedroom for a few moments to reset for our shoot. Two more will follow.

Such is the daily pace for a woman who recently became the first South Asian actress to star in a network drama and who has just begun filming the big-screen reboot of Baywatch(due in theaters next May). In her home country of India, Chopra cannot go anywhere without being mobbed by fans, and is a dominant presence on social media, where tens of millions of people follow her every move. 

Despite having made over 50 films, winning Miss World in 2000, signing a record deal with Universal Music Group, penning columns for Elle, and a slew of endearing moments (like her wing-eating contest with Jimmy Fallon), the 33-year-old Chopra has remained largely unknown in the States. But with the success of ABC’s Quantico, on which she plays an FBI agent and for which she won a People’s Choice Award, Chopra is beginning to make her way toward being a household name as much here as she already is around the globe. 

After a few hours of obliging our requests to hop around in her pool, Priyanka sat down with me and I asked her how she’s managing it all and where she hopes to go next.

On the term “Bollywood” and being called a “Bollywood celebrity”:

“I’m proud of being Indian, but I don’t think I need to be labeled based on where I am from. It’s divisive in many ways, and we’re already so divided. By saying ‘Bollywood’—first of all, we’re not an offshoot of Hollywood, we’re the Indian film industry that produces a tremendous array of films every year—it’s using a word that encapsulates a stereotype of what we are. And we don’t really do that with any other countries. We don’t say, ‘Spanish celebrity Penelope Cruz’ or ‘Italian star Sophia Loren.’ So why make it a defining point for me? I’m trying to be global and trying to push us, as a society, to becoming colorblind, and so I’m very grateful to ABC for casting me in Quantico. It was based on my merit, not on my ethnicity. The part wasn’t written for an Indian girl, it was just written for an ass-kicking, mess of a girl, and I happen to portray her best.” 

On the state of television (and movies):

“The strongest content is ALL on television right now. And, happily, there are strong, amazing characters for women. Quantico is a huge example of that. When was the last time you saw a hijab-wearing, ballsy, badass, unapologetic, flirtatious female FBI agent in a film? Movies are now so much about the entertainment. They’re all big blockbusters. And I love them, don’t get me wrong, but the writing has all gone to television.” 

On being in your 30s versus your 20s:

“In my 20s, I used to have a lot more energy! I was this skydiving, bungee-jumping adrenaline junkie. I don’t know what happened to me! Now that I’m in my early 30s, I’ve put all that energy into my work, although I’m still a little ridiculous. In your 30s, you’re sensible enough to know better, but still stupid enough to do stupid things. “

On social media:

“It’s odd, we’re not tolerant at all anymore and the more we have a voice, the more we hide behind anonymity and talk crap. You’re going to have trolls everywhere, especially being a public person. That’s the professional hazard – you have put yourself out there for people to judge. It’s the price you pay, but I’m fortunate to have been put on a platform where people might hear me (they might not listen to me) and I like taking advantage of that. I speak up when I want to and instead of focusing on the naysayers, I focus on the millions of people who encourage me to take chances and do things that are different and not be afraid just because I’m a woman or because I come from a certain place. I don’t have a method to it and maybe that’s why I have incredible support. My fans are like my own personal army, but I don’t get into fights over social. There are so many people who just write crap. Ain’t nobody got time for that.” (Take note, unnamed politicians.)

On her Baywatch role:

“I was a huge Baywatch fan growing up. I’ll admit that I loved David Hasselhoff. So it’s so exciting to be a part of this film. And I get to play the villain, which I haven’t done before. I was initially approached about another part in the film, but I guess after the producers met me, they thought I’d be great as the antagonist, which hopefully is not a bad sign.” 

On who she would call her girl-crush:

“Irina Shayk. Hands down.”

On the one thing that’s made her happiest (and saddest) this year:

“Happiest? The success of Quantico. There were a bunch of naysayers and I’m glad I didn’t give them the chance to be right. Saddest? Being away from home. I’m so grateful for this year, but it’s been a long time to be away from the familiar. And it’s freezing up in Montreal. I’m used to incredibly hot weather, so I’m always afraid I might break in this cold.” 

 

On her guilty pleasure: 

“Red wine.”

On her father’s impact on her life:

“When I was little, my dad used to call me ‘Bandarella’, because I was a mess—a Bandar is a monkey in Hindi. I was not a girly-girl and would always break something and would be running around and didn’t really fit in. And he would tell me, ‘Don’t worry about fitting into a glass slipper; shatter the glass ceiling.’ 

I lost my dad two years ago to cancer, and before he died, I asked him to write ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ on a piece of paper for me. I told him it was for an album. He practiced and practiced and then sent it to me and I had it tattooed onto my wrist and surprised him with it. He cried when he saw it, happy tears. This way, I always carry him with me.”